Enormous jellyfish spotted in Cornwall river

The 4-foot barrel jellyfish was apparently seen casually bobbing along the river more than half a mile inland (Picture: SWNS)

If something seems off with this picture it’s because ocean-dwelling barrel jellyfish are not normally found in English rivers.

But an enormous one has apparently been sighted floating down in the Helford River in Cornwall.

The creature, which is usually associated with parts of the North Atlantic and more tropical regions like the Mediterranean, was allegedly spotted casually making his way along the river.

Measuring around 4ft from head to tentacle, the barrel jellyfish is harmless to humans, but the dustbin-lid shaped species is still an imposing and surprising presence.

One of the giant jellyfish that washed up in Dorset this month (Picture: SteveTrewhella/BNPS)

‘It looked at first like a giant blancmange sitting on the water. I took a closer look and realised it was one of those rare jellyfishes that are making the news,’ rambler David Smith, 45, told Western Morning News.

Several of these massive marine creatures have been found washed up on beaches in recent weeks due to the increasingly warm weather, but seeing them so far inland is rare.

Experts say that we can expert more of this breed to arrive at our coasts as the summer approaches.

‘This type of jellyfish is a regular visitor to the UK, although we’ve had reports of some very big ones this year,’ said Richard Harrington of the Marine Conservation Society.

Jellyfish are not normally associated with English rivers (Picture: SWNS)